Appointments

From Monday 16th October we will be trialling a way to navigate patients to;

The most appropriate medical care

From the most appropriate health professional

At the most appropriate time

Receptionists are members of the practice team and it has been agreed they should ask patients ‘why they need to be seen’. This will;

Help doctors prioritise house visits and phone calls

Ensure that all patients receive the appropriate level of care

Direct patients to see the nurse or other health professional rather than a doctor, where appropriate.

Reception staff, like all members of the team, is bound by confidentiality rules and any information given by you to them is treated in the strictest confidence. The Practice would take any breach of confidentiality very seriously and deal with in accordingly.

However if you feel an issue is very private and do not wish to say what it is then this will be respected.

We know that to begin with it is going to take longer to direct you to the right clinician and your patience will be much appreciated, but in the long run we believe you will benefit.

Booking Appointments

From Monday 16th October you will no longer need to come to the Health Centre to make a same day appointment, if you phone in and you are directed to a clinician the receptionist will be able to make you an appointment over the phone. However, you can still come to the Health Centre if you wish. The way we run the same day blood clinic has not changed, you will still need to come to the Health Centre on the day.

We are also going to offer 48hr and 2 week routine appointments. Routine appointments can be booked at the desk, over the phone and on line.

Please remember we have a limited number of appointments and once they are gone we are unable to offer any more until the next day. What we are trying to achieve is to free up more appointments for patients who have complex or acute health problems.

Telephone ‘Advice Line’ - Available 2pm - 5:30pm daily

Our Doctors and Nurse Practitioners also provide a telephone advice line, so if you are looking for advice only, please call the surgery and leave the details and a brief summary of your problem. A clinician will return your call within 24 working hours. Please provide a telephone number where we can reach you between 9am and 6:00pm.

Medication Reviews with the Practice Pharmacist

We have employed 2 Practice Pharmacists to support the GP’s by undertaking telephone or face to face medication reviews.

Booking Appointments and Repeat Medication Online

You can also book appointments and order your repeat medication online. To register for this service, simply come into the surgery and request a 'Patient Access PIN' at reception. For security reasons we require ID to confirm your identity (e.g. Passport/Driver's Licence/Utility bill). The service is only available to those aged 16+.

Chaperone Policy

We are committed to providing a safe, comfortable environment where patients and staff can be confident that best practice is being followed at all times and the safety of everyone is of paramount importance.

All patients are entitled to have a chaperone present for any consultation, examination or procedure where they feel one is required. Some examinations are considered intimate by patients and/or doctors. These are occasions where a doctor may offer a chaperone to be present. A chaperone will always be a member of our practice team.

Wherever possible we would ask you to make this request at the time of booking an appointment so that arrangements can be made and your appointment is not delayed in any way. Where this is not possible we will endeavour to provide a formal chaperone at the time of request. However occasionally it may be necessary to reschedule your appointment.

Your GP may also require a chaperone to be present for certain consultations in accordance with our chaperone policy.

If you would like to see a copy of our chaperone policy or have any questions or comments regarding this please contact our practice manager.

Home Visits

Whilst we encourage our patients to come to the surgery, where we have the proper equipment and facilities available, we do appreciate this is not always possible. In this respect, if you do need a home visit, you can help us by calling reception between 10:00 - 11:00.

You may only request a home visit if you are housebound or are too ill to visit the practice. Your GP will only visit you at home if they think that your medical condition requires it and will also decide how urgently a visit is needed. Please bear this in mind and be prepared to provide suitable details to enable the doctor to schedule house calls.

You can also be visited at home by a community nurse if you are referred by your GP. You should also be visited at home by a health visitor if you have recently had a baby or if you are newly registered with a GP and have a child under five years.

Sickness Certificates

You do not require a doctor's sickness certificate for any illness lasting seven days or less. Your employer may however require you to complete a self-certification form (SC2) which is available from your employer or on the HMRC website.

Evidence that you are sick

If you are sick for more than seven days, your employer can ask you to give them some form of medical evidence to support payment of SSP (statutory sick pay).

It is up to your employer to decide whether you are incapable of work. A medical certificate, now called a 'Statement of Fitness for Work’ (see below) from your doctor is strong evidence that you are sick and would normally be accepted, unless there is evidence to prove otherwise.

You could also provide evidence from someone who is not a medical practitioner, e.g. a dentist. Your employer will decide whether or not this evidence is acceptable. If your employer has any doubts, they may still ask for a medical certificate from your GP.

Statement of Fitness for Work - ’Fit Note'

The 'fit note' was introduced on 6 April 2010. With your employer's support, the note will help you return to work sooner by providing more information about the effects of your illness or injury.

Teaching and Training

We are privileged to be involved in training qualified doctors to become General Practitioners. These doctors are known as “Specialist Trainees” and have time within the practice during their first (ST1) and third (ST3) years of General Practice Training.

One of the ways we can do this is by videoing the doctor at work. These tapes are completely confidential; they are used by the doctor concerned for assessment in professional development with supervising doctors only. We would ask for your understanding in the use of these recordings, which are for teaching the doctor about his/her consulting skills and hope that you may be able to give permission for recording if you are asked.